US midterm elections

Being an important part of U.S political system and a mechanism of checks on the legislative branch and presidency, the upcoming congressional midterm elections are scheduled for November 6.

Americans will get to express their evaluation of the past two years of Donald Trump's presidency and the Republican domination over the Congress, which will determine the course of the next two years in the American political life.

US citizens will vote on all 435 seats in the House of Representatives as well as on 35 seats in the Senate.

At the state level, changes are anticipated in 39 state and territorial governorships. Voters will also decide a number of ballot measures on issues ranging from abortion, voter ID laws, Medicaid health insurance and marijuana.

Currently, Republicans control both chambers of Congress, while Democrats are set to challenge the state of affairs in the legislative branch of power in America.

The Democrats have 193 seats to Republicans’ 236 with six vacancies. To secure a victory, the Democrats would have to gain 25 seats to have a 218-member majority in the 435-seat House of Representatives.

According to general estimates offered by analytical agencies and sites like ''FiveThirtyEight'' the Senate is likely to remain Republican, while Democrats have a strong chance to win the House, anywhere from between 50 to 77 per cent, leading many to predict a “blue wave” is coming in November.

Democrats have consistently won state-level elections and special elections this year, managing to flip 11 seats in Congress to the Republicans’ two.

On the other hand President Trump has long predicted a “red wave” of Republican victories and warned that any GOP losses could threaten national security and weaken borders.

Trump and Republicans are likely to campaign on the booming economy, which added about 200,000 new jobs in August and saw the unemployment rate drop to an 18-year low.